The glorious principality of Theodoro in the Crimea and its tragic end

Five centuries before the Baptism of Rus, the city of Doris, which was in the southern (mountainous) part of the Crimean peninsula, was the center of Christianity in this vast Black Sea region. Subsequently, around it formed a unique in its way the principality of Theodoro, which became the last fragment of the once powerful Byzantine Empire, and the ancient Christian city, having changed its name to Mangup, became its capital.

The appearance in the south-west of the Crimea of a new state

The new principality was formed due to the division of the former Byzantine colony, which was in the Crimea, and controlled by a small Greek state called Trebizond. By the beginning of the thirteenth century, Constantinople had largely lost its military might, than the Genoese, greedy to someone else's fortune, who had captured the northwestern part of the peninsula, were quick to use it. At the same time, in an area beyond Genoa's control, an independent state was formed, headed by a former Trabzon governor and named the principality of Theodoro.

The secret of Crimea concealed from us his name, but it is known that this man belonged to the dynasty of Theodore, who for two centuries ruled in the metropolis and gave the name to the newly formed principality. The founder of this family - Theodore Gavras, a Byzantine aristocrat of Armenian descent, rose to the top of power after he managed to single-handedly collect the militia and liberate Trebizond from the Seljuk Turks who seized him, and then became its ruler. Power was inherited until, as a result of court intrigues, the dynasty was not driven out by the more successful competitors of the Comnenus.

The heyday of the former Byzantine colony

As it was said above, by the beginning of the XIII century in the Crimea, in territory beyond the control of the Genoese, an independent principality of Theodoro was formed, named after the ruling dynasty in it. Coming out of the subordination of its former metropolis and successfully repelling the raids of numerous conquerors, it lasted for two centuries, which became the heyday of Orthodoxy and statehood on the south-western coast of the Crimean peninsula.

The territory of the principality stretched between the modern cities of Balaklava and Alushta, and its capital became the city of Mangup, whose ancient fortress was built in the 5th century. Until now, its ruins attract thousands of tourists, who come to the Crimea every year. It is generally accepted that in the most favorable periods the population of the principality reached one hundred and fifty thousand people, almost all of them were Orthodox. The principality of Theodoro in the Crimea in ethnic terms consisted mainly of Greeks, Goths, Armenians, Russians and representatives of several other Orthodox peoples. They communicated among themselves mainly in the Gothic dialect of the German language.

The role of refugees in the life of the mountain principality

The Crimean principality of Theodoro became a refuge for numerous Orthodox Christians, who sought in it for salvation from Muslim conquerors. In particular, their considerable inflow was observed after the capture by the Seljuk Turks of Eastern Byzantium. In the Orthodox monasteries of Mangup - the capital of Theodora, monks from the mountain monasteries of Cappadocia, plundered and destroyed by the enemies, moved.

An important role in the formation and development of the state was played by Armenians, former inhabitants of the city of Ani, who moved to Feodoro, after their homeland was conquered by the Seljuk Turks. Representatives of the country with a high level of culture, these refugees enriched the principality with their centuries-old experience in the field of trade and crafts.

With their appearance, numerous parishes of the Armenian Orthodox Church were opened both in the Feodorian and in the Genoese part of the Crimea. Over time, Armenians began to form the bulk of the population of the Crimea, and this picture was preserved even after its conquest by the Ottoman Empire.

The rise of the economy and culture of the feodorites

The period from the XIII to XV centuries is not in vain called the golden age of this state. Within two hundred years, the principality of Theodoro managed to raise the highest level of building art, thanks to which for this relatively short period of time, vivid examples of economic, temple and fortress architecture were erected. In many ways, thanks to the skillful masters who created the impregnable citadel, the feudorites managed to reflect the innumerable invasions of the enemies.

The Crimean principality of Theodoro was famous for its agriculture, especially viticulture and the production of wine, sent from here far beyond the state. Modern researchers who excavated in this part of the Crimea show that in almost all populated areas they discovered vine storage and grapevine presses. In addition, the feodorites were famous for their skillful gardener and gardeners.

Connections of the Crimean state with Moscow

An interesting fact - the principality of Fodoro and his princes had the most close ties with Ancient Rus. It is even known that it is from the mountainous regions of the Crimea that several aristocratic surnames originate, which played a significant role in the history of our state. For example, the boyars' clan of Khovrins came from several representatives of the ruling Gavras dynasty who moved from Mangup to Moscow in the 14th century. In Russia, for several centuries, he was entrusted with control over the most important area of public life - finance.

In the 16th century, two branches separated from this name, representatives of which were also noted in Russian history - the Tretyakovs and Golovins. But the most famous is the Mangup princess Sophia Palaeologus, who became the wife of the Grand Duke of Moscow, Ivan III. Thus, there is every reason to talk about the role played by the principality of Theodoro and his princes in the history of Russia.

Other international relations of the state of Theodoro

In addition to Ancient Rus there was also a whole series of states with which the principality of Theodoro had political and economic ties. The history of the late Middle Ages testifies to its close dynastic connections with the majority of the ruling houses of Eastern Europe. For example, Princess Maria Mangupskaya - the sister of the Fedor's ruler, became the wife of the Moldovan ruler Stephen the Great, and her sister married the heir to the throne of Trebizond.

Life surrounded by enemies

Looking back in history, one can not help asking the question: how could a small mountain principality for a long time resist such formidable conquerors as the Tatar khans Yedigei and Nogai? Despite the fact that the enemy had a multiple numerical superiority, he not only failed to achieve his goal, but, having suffered significant losses, was thrown out of the state. Only afterwards, some parts of the country were under his control.

The Orthodox principality of Theodoro in the Crimea, which was also one of the last fragments of Byzantium, aroused hatred both among the Genoese Catholics and the Crimean khans. In this regard, its population lived in a constant readiness to repel aggression, but for a long time it could not continue. A small state, surrounded on all sides by enemies, was doomed.

Invasion of the Turkish conquerors on the peninsula

There was an enemy, against whom the principality of Theodoro was powerless. It was the Ottoman Turkey, completely capturing Byzantium by that time and fixing its gaze on its former colonies. Embarking on the territory of the Crimea, the Turks easily captured the lands belonging to the Genoese, and the local khans made their vassals. The queue was for the feodorites.

In 1475, Mangup, the capital of the principality of Theodoro, underwent a siege of selected Turkish units, reinforced by the troops of their vassals, the Crimean khans. At the head of this many-thousand army was Gedik Ahmed-Pasha, who by that time had become famous for his victories on the banks of the Bosphorus. Caught in a dense ring of enemies, the capital of a mountainous state for five months reflected their onslaught.

The tragic denouement

In the defense of the city, in addition to its inhabitants, three hundred soldiers took part, sent there by the Moldovan ruler Stephen the Great, who was married to the Mangup princess Maria, and thus had family ties in Theodore. This detachment of Moldovans went down in history as "three hundred Spartans of the Crimea." He, with the support of local residents, succeeded in destroying the elite Ottoman corps, the janissary regiment. But because of the numerical superiority of the enemy, the outcome of the matter was predetermined.

After a long defense, Mangup was still in the hands of the enemies. Failing to achieve success in open battle, the Turks resorted to tried tactics - having blocked all the ways of delivering food, they took the city and its fortress by the sea. Of the fifteen thousand inhabitants of the capital, half were immediately destroyed, and the rest were driven into slavery.

Descendants of the feodorites

After the fall of Mangup and the Ottoman rule was established, for several centuries the Orthodox communities were preserved on the lands where the principality of Theodoro used to be. The tragedy that took place here, deprived them of many of the temples and monasteries built earlier, but did not force them to renounce the religion of their fathers. The descendants of those who previously inhabited this oblivious state, managed to preserve the fine traditions of gardening, viticulture.

They still grew bread and worked in crafts. When, in the XVIII century, Catherine II issued a decree on the resettlement of the entire Christian population to the territory of Russia, thereby inflicted an irreparable blow to the economy of the Crimea. Settlers in the new homeland gave rise to two independent national formations - Azov Greeks and Don Armenians.

The Forgotten Past

The Principality of Theodoro, whose history is limited to only two centuries, managed to survive its once-powerful metropolitan Trebizond and even Constantinople. Becoming the last bastion of Orthodoxy in the Crimea, the principality for many months resisted the onslaught of superior enemy forces and fell, only having exhausted all possibilities to continue resistance.

It is upsetting that the feat of this fearless people has not been practically preserved in the memory of the descendants. Few people know even how the capital of the Crimean principality Theodoro was called. The modern inhabitants of this region are extremely poorly informed about the heroic events that took place in it five and a half centuries ago. Only tourists who visit the ruins of the ancient fortress listen to the stories of guides and read brief information in the colorful booklets they offer.